My Next Move
The truth was, I did not want to leave Getsemani or Manga when it came time to make the necessary changes for residential living. I was determined to stay in either one of those places regardless of the price that had to be paid to stay there.
Because I loved Manga so much, I had found the perfect apartment that was just right for what I wanted and what I was looking for just across the bridge. It was a white apartment on the second floor overlooking the Laguna de San Lazaro river.
This is the river that I would often walk across to go to Getsemani. I brought my American friend along to give me a second opinion. I think that he was a better negotiator than me due to his business background.
What I had learned about renting an apartment in Cartagena is that the person moving in has to buy the appliances to the apartment. In other words, the apartments are completely empty wherever you rent.
Therefore, it is required of the renter to buy everything for the apartment. That includes washer, dryer, refrigerator, beds, sofas, chairs, and more. I certainly had the means to do that because I really wanted to stay there. I loved it that much. However, I had to keep my heart open to the possibilities of living in other places.
Just riding the peaceful double-decker tour bus. Thinking about where I had been and where I was going.
When I had finally met the landlords, it was a relief because it had seemed that it took a long time to align our schedules. A lady and her dad had shown up to meet me. They had required a deposit fee and money due and two months' rent.
If I am not mistaken, I think the rental fee was somewhere around $550 a month or so for a two- or three-bedroom place with two bathrooms. I had the necessary funds and was very excited to move in. Remember that housing in Colombia is much less than the costs of the U.S., U.K. , or Europe. So those fees were very affordable.
The issue regarding the whole move was that the lady wanted to make sure that I had rental insurance. Unfortunately, she had rented out the apartment prior to someone else and they had damaged the entrance to the kitchen. I assured them that it would not be a problem and that I would not damage a thing. Still, the lady insisted on rental insurance. I did not blame her. I completely understood.
To make a long story short, and sad on my part, I went to downtown Manga to get residential insurance from an agency the landlords had referred me to. The lady had given me a contact referral of an individual who could give me a great deal on the insurance that I needed. It so happened that I was unable to get insurance because I needed a Colombian ID card.
In order to get a Colombian ID card, a person must either be born in Colombia or a resident with the proper visa stating that they have been in the country long enough to declare their citizenship. This is partially correct, but I have to do more research in this area so I will have the complete knowledge about rental properties and what is required.
The bottom line was this: I could not rent the apartment. The ladies father pleaded with her because I assured them both that I would take excellent care of the apartment, however she refused. Regardless of the situation, I had to move on and find some other place to live, and so I did.